Bringing together the right team

The right team

Highlights

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When it comes to the introduction of an ERP system or any other major IT transformation, people are typically the biggest factor in a project’s success or failure. That’s because technology cannot operate efficiently in a vacuum. To be effective, users need to:

Buy-in to the need for the technology.

Understand their role in using technology.

Have the right training.

Without the right people on board, expected benefits associated with the implementation of IT systems can evaporate.

US Army’s approach

During discussions with members of the Five Eyes community, many noted the importance of bringing together the right team. “In preparing for new technologies, the US Army sees the development of internal capability as an important step. One solution, according to the Chief Information Officer of the US Department of Defense is the movement of people from the government to commercial workplaces, and back to government,” explains [ADD NAME AND TITLE OF KPMG PARTNER]. Such cross-pollination allows for individuals to develop the skills they need to help facilitate successful technology change within departments of defense.

Of course, some defense organizations may find bringing together the right team more difficult than others. “ERP procurements in the UK and the US have been well supported by mature IT markets. Similarly, in Canada, the right skills and experience have been pulled from the labor market,” explains [ADD NAME FROM PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH] “Within smaller markets like New Zealand and Australia, however, major ERP implementations are less common and, as a result, the required experience for a successful ERP implementation is harder to come by and even harder to retain.”

Building pathways by which a person can have a fulfilling career while moving easily between commercial and Government workplaces, and creating an environment in which it is appealing to do so, can be an valuable way to attract the skills required to support the organization’s needs.

Think ‘People’ from the start

Just as they would for any mission, defense organizations need to think about the people element of an ERP implementation right from the beginning so that they can ensure they are well equipped to use their new systems to the fullest. Based on the project’s requirements and scope, defense organizations can develop a change management strategy that links together all the people elements that play a factor in success. This should include identifying mission critical skill sets related to the implementation and determining whether these skill sets are available internally or whether a third-party should be engaged to assist with the transformation.